Glimpses of Berlin, Part One

One of the sights I most enjoyed in Berlin, and which I cannot recommend highly enough, is the East Side Gallery. It’s a 1.3km long section of the Berlin Wall which, on its east side (makes sense, no?), is covered in paintings by around 100 artists from all over the world. It is described as a “memorial for freedom”, and here are just a few of the paintings that I found striking.

And now, to more general glimpses…

It appears the Germans like their handy meal helpers too. Shh... don't tell the Omas!

Let's Go Fly A Kite, and Send It Soaring! (With the Fernsehturm at Alexanderplatz in the background.)

Pomegranate Wish Tree at the Jüdisches Museum.

When you enter the permanent exhibition area at the Jüdisches Museum, you’re offered a pomegranate-shaped card upon which you can write a wish and then hang it on the above-pictured tree. I loved the myriad different languages present all over the tree, but of course only understood the English ones.

The card that stood out to me the most was “I wish to love her forever”. As such romance-charged wishes tend to face the other way around (“I wish s/he’d love me”), this seemed, to me, strangely heartbreaking and poignant. At the same time, though, I found it a little frustrating. You want to love her? Then love her! Cripes!

The Brandenburg Gate

And a CHOCOLATE BRANDENBURG GATE. Oh yes. You are awesome, Fassbender & Rausch at the Gendarmenmarkt.

Also, I just ate half a jar of peanut butter with a spoon, and now feel both strangely lethargic and energised. ‘Tis an odd sensation…

Theresa and Whisperinggums: Oh golly, I remember reading why. Don’t quote me, but I think within Judaism, pomegranates symbolise sanctity, abundance, and fertility, and can therefore be a symbol of hope. (SOmething to do with having 613 seeds.) The museum did mention the theories that the apple in the Garden of Eden was a pomegranate… but I don’t know what that means for “loving her forever”!

Lorraine: I have photos of some funny handwritten wishes at temples in Japan… one said “May Boo Boo Have Happy Ice Cream You Betcha!”. I also like your solution to my PB issue 😀